Volunteers Pack Thousands of Meals for the Poor

By: Rowena Li - Email

Updated: Fri 10:25 AM, Mar 15, 2013

Volunteers Pack Thousands of Meals for the Poor

He called, and they answered.

"This is something that has been a call of Bishop Dendinger's to provide better emphasis on social justice, that our neighbors are not just next door or in this room, but they're across the world," said Kathleen Hahn, Chancellor at the Diocese of Grand Island.

More than 100 people volunteered at St. Mary's parish in Grand Island to pack meals for the poor Saturday. It's part of the Diocese of Grand Island's efforts to provide for others.

"I's been a challenge, but a great one, and everybody is so excited in here," Hahn said.

The meals of soy products, proteins, and rice will be shipped to the African nation of Burkina Faso. Three other parishes in the Diocese of Grand Island are also packing meals this weekend, for a total of 40,000 packaged meals.

"It's one of the most impoverished countries in the world. People will go days without food, and this project today, for instance, will provide enough meals to feed 12,000 people for one year," Hahn added.

To motivate volunteers, one of the diocese's pastors spoke about his experiences in Burkina Faso.

"It just brings it to life, it gives you a personal connection to the people you're helping because we're never going to meet these people," said volunteer Debra Wetzel.

"It connects you a little bit. You know where the food you just packed is going, who it's helping. That goes a long way," added volunteer John Walkowiak.

With that motivation, what was supposed to take three to four hours ended up being finished in less than an hour.